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Compare Iran (2005) - Nepal (2002)

Compare Iran (2005) z Nepal (2002)

 Iran (2005)Nepal (2002)
 IranNepal
Administrative divisions 30 provinces (ostanha, singular - ostan); Ardabil, Azarbayjan-e Gharbi, Azarbayjan-e Sharqi, Bushehr, Chahar Mahall va Bakhtiari, Esfahan, Fars, Gilan, Golestan, Hamadan, Hormozgan, Ilam, Kerman, Kermanshah, Khorasan-e Janubi, Khorasan-e Razavi, Khorasan-e Shemali, Khuzestan, Kohgiluyeh va Buyer Ahmad, Kordestan, Lorestan, Markazi, Mazandaran, Qazvin, Qom, Semnan, Sistan va Baluchestan, Tehran, Yazd, Zanjan 14 zones (anchal, singular and plural); Bagmati, Bheri, Dhawalagiri, Gandaki, Janakpur, Karnali, Kosi, Lumbini, Mahakali, Mechi, Narayani, Rapti, Sagarmatha, Seti
Age structure 0-14 years: 27.1% (male 9,465,475/female 8,973,828)


15-64 years: 68% (male 23,556,970/female 22,701,065)


65 years and over: 4.9% (male 1,637,512/female 1,683,010) (2005 est.)
0-14 years: 40% (male 5,346,422; female 5,007,416)


15-64 years: 56.4% (male 7,476,202; female 7,125,471)


65 years and over: 3.6% (male 453,263; female 465,143) (2002 est.)
Agriculture - products wheat, rice, other grains, sugar beets, fruits, nuts, cotton; dairy products, wool; caviar rice, corn, wheat, sugarcane, root crops; milk, water buffalo meat
Airports 305 (2004 est.) 45 (2001)
Airports - with paved runways total: 127


over 3,047 m: 39


2,438 to 3,047 m: 25


1,524 to 2,437 m: 26


914 to 1,523 m: 32


under 914 m: 5 (2004 est.)
total: 9


over 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 7 (2002)
Airports - with unpaved runways total: 178


over 3,047 m: 1


1,524 to 2,437 m: 9


914 to 1,523 m: 129


under 914 m: 39 (2004 est.)
total: 36


1,524 to 2,437 m: 1


914 to 1,523 m: 7


under 914 m: 28 (2002)
Area total: 1.648 million sq km


land: 1.636 million sq km


water: 12,000 sq km
total: 140,800 sq km


land: 136,800 sq km


water: 4,000 sq km
Area - comparative slightly larger than Alaska slightly larger than Arkansas
Background Known as Persia until 1935, Iran became an Islamic republic in 1979 after the ruling monarchy was overthrown and the shah was forced into exile. Conservative clerical forces established a theocratic system of government with ultimate political authority nominally vested in a learned religious scholar. Iranian-US relations have been strained since a group of Iranian students seized the US Embassy in Tehran on 4 November 1979 and held it until 20 January 1981. During 1980-88, Iran fought a bloody, indecisive war with Iraq that eventually expanded into the Persian Gulf and led to clashes between US Navy and Iranian military forces between 1987-1988. Iran has been designated a state sponsor of terrorism for its activities in Lebanon and elsewhere in the world and remains subject to US economic sanctions and export controls because of its continued involvement. Following the elections of a reformist president and Majlis in the late 1990s, attempts to foster political reform in response to popular dissatisfaction have floundered as conservative politicians have prevented reform measures from being enacted, increased repressive measures, and consolidated their control over the government. In 1951, the Nepalese monarch ended the century-old system of rule by hereditary premiers and instituted a cabinet system of government. Reforms in 1990 established a multiparty democracy within the framework of a constitutional monarchy. A maoist insugency, launched in 1996, has gained traction and is threatening to bring down the regime. Ten members of the royal family, including the king and queen, were massacred in a family dispute in 2001. In October 2002, the new king dismissed the prime minister and his cabinet for "incompetence" after they dissolved the parliament and were subsequently unable to hold elections because of the ongoing insurgency. The country is now governed by the king and his appointed cabinet until elections can be held at some unspecified future date.
Birth rate 16.83 births/1,000 population (2005 est.) 32.94 births/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Budget revenues: $43.34 billion


expenditures: $47.7 billion, including capital expenditures of $7.6 billion (2004 est.)
revenues: $665 million


expenditures: $1.1 billion, including capital expenditures of $NA (FY99/00 est.)
Capital Tehran Kathmandu
Climate mostly arid or semiarid, subtropical along Caspian coast varies from cool summers and severe winters in north to subtropical summers and mild winters in south
Coastline 2,440 km; note - Iran also borders the Caspian Sea (740 km) 0 km (landlocked)
Constitution 2-3 December 1979; revised 1989 to expand powers of the presidency and eliminate the prime ministership 9 November 1990
Country name conventional long form: Islamic Republic of Iran


conventional short form: Iran


local long form: Jomhuri-ye Eslami-ye Iran


local short form: Iran


former: Persia
conventional long form: Kingdom of Nepal


conventional short form: Nepal
Currency - Nepalese rupee (NPR)
Death rate 5.55 deaths/1,000 population (2005 est.) 10.03 deaths/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Debt - external $13.4 billion (2004 est.) $2.55 billion (FY00/01)
Diplomatic representation from the US none; note - protecting power in Iran is Switzerland chief of mission: Ambassador Michael E. MALINOWSKI


embassy: Panipokhari, Kathmandu


mailing address: use embassy street address


telephone: [977] (1) 411179


FAX: [977] (1) 419963
Diplomatic representation in the US none; note - Iran has an Interests Section in the Pakistani Embassy; address: Iranian Interests Section, Pakistani Embassy, 2209 Wisconsin Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20007; telephone: [1] (202) 965-4990; FAX [1] (202) 965-1073 chief of mission: Ambassador-designate Jai Pratap RANA


chancery: 2131 Leroy Place NW, Washington, DC 20008


telephone: [1] (202) 667-4550


FAX: [1] (202) 667-5534


consulate(s) general: New York
Disputes - international Iran protests Afghanistan's limiting flow of dammed tributaries to the Helmand River in periods of drought; Iraq's lack of a maritime boundary with Iran prompts jurisdiction disputes beyond the mouth of the Shatt al Arab in the Persian Gulf; Iran and UAE engage in direct talks and solicit Arab League support to resolve disputes over Iran's occupation of Tunb Islands and Abu Musa Island; Iran stands alone among littoral states in insisting upon a division of the Caspian Sea into five equal sectors formed Joint Border committee with India in 2001 to resolve 53 disputed sections of boundary covering an area of 720 sq km; approximately 100,000 Bhutanese refugees living in Nepal, 90% of whom reside in seven UN Office of the High Commissioner for Refugees camps, place decades-long strains on Nepal
Economic aid - recipient $408 million (2002 est.) $424 million (FY00/01)
Economy - overview Iran's economy is marked by a bloated, inefficient state sector, over reliance on the oil sector, and statist policies that create major distortions throughout. Most economic activity is controlled by the state. Private sector activity is typically small-scale - workshops, farming, and services. President KHATAMI has continued to follow the market reform plans of former President RAFSANJANI, with limited progress. Relatively high oil prices in recent years have enabled Iran to amass some $30 billion in foreign exchange reserves, but have not eased economic hardships such as high unemployment and inflation. The proportion of the economy devoted to the development of weapons of mass destruction remains a contentious issue with leading Western nations. Nepal is among the poorest and least developed countries in the world with nearly half of its population living below the poverty line. Agriculture is the mainstay of the economy, providing a livelihood for over 80% of the population and accounting for 41% of GDP. Industrial activity mainly involves the processing of agricultural produce including jute, sugarcane, tobacco, and grain. Textile and carpet production, accounteing for about 80% of foreign exchange earnings in recent years, contracted significantly in 2001 due to the overall slowdown in the world economy and pressures by Maoist insurgents on factory owners and workers. Security concerns in the wake of Maoist activity, the June massacre of many members of the royal family, and the September 11 terrorist attacks in the US led to a decrease in tourism, another key source of foreign exchange. Agricultural production is growing by about 5% on average as compared with annual population growth of 2.3%. Since May 1991, the government has been moving forward with economic reforms, particularly those that encourage trade and foreign investment, e.g., by reducing business licenses and registration requirements to simplify investment procedures. The government has also been cutting expenditures by reducing subsidies, privatizing state industries, and laying off civil servants. More recently, however, political instability - five different governments over the past few years - has hampered Kathmandu's ability to forge consensus to implement key economic reforms. Nepal has considerable scope for accelerating economic growth by exploiting its potential in hydropower and tourism, areas of recent foreign investment interest. Prospects for foreign trade or investment in other sectors will remain poor, however, because of the small size of the economy, its technological backwardness, its remoteness, its landlocked geographic location, and its susceptibility to natural disaster. The international community's role of funding more than 60% of Nepal's development budget and more than 28% of total budgetary expenditures will likely continue as a major ingredient of growth.
Electricity - consumption 119.9 billion kWh (2002) 1.431 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - exports 0 kWh (2002) 95 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - imports 0 kWh (2002) 174 million kWh (2000)
Electricity - production 129 billion kWh (2002) 1.454 billion kWh (2000)
Electricity - production by source - fossil fuel: 10%


hydro: 90%


nuclear: 0%


other: 0% (2000)
Elevation extremes lowest point: Caspian Sea -28 m


highest point: Kuh-e Damavand 5,671 m
lowest point: Kanchan Kalan 70 m


highest point: Mount Everest 8,850 m (1999 est.)
Environment - current issues air pollution, especially in urban areas, from vehicle emissions, refinery operations, and industrial effluents; deforestation; overgrazing; desertification; oil pollution in the Persian Gulf; wetland losses from drought; soil degradation (salination); inadequate supplies of potable water; water pollution from raw sewage and industrial waste; urbanization deforestation (overuse of wood for fuel and lack of alternatives); contaminated water (with human and animal wastes, agricultural runoff, and industrial effluents); wildlife conservation; vehicular emissions
Environment - international agreements party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Marine Dumping, Ozone Layer Protection, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: Environmental Modification, Law of the Sea, Marine Life Conservation
party to: Biodiversity, Climate Change, Desertification, Endangered Species, Hazardous Wastes, Law of the Sea, Nuclear Test Ban, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83, Tropical Timber 94, Wetlands


signed, but not ratified: Marine Dumping, Marine Life Conservation
Ethnic groups Persian 51%, Azeri 24%, Gilaki and Mazandarani 8%, Kurd 7%, Arab 3%, Lur 2%, Baloch 2%, Turkmen 2%, other 1% Brahman, Chetri, Newar, Gurung, Magar, Tamang, Rai, Limbu, Sherpa, Tharu, and others (1995)
Exchange rates rials per US dollar - 8,614 (2004), 8,193.9 (2003), 6,907 (2002), 1,753.6 (2001), 1,764.4 (2000)


note: Iran has been using a managed floating exchange rate regime since unifying multiple exchange rates in March 2002
Nepalese rupees per US dollar - 76.675 (January 2002), 74.961 (2001), 71.094 (2000), 68.239 (1999), 65.976 (1998), 58.010 (1997)
Executive branch chief of state: Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Hoseini-KHAMENEI (since 4 June 1989)


head of government: President Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD (since 3 August 2005) First Vice President Dr. Mohammad Reza AREF-Yazdi (since 26 August 2001)


cabinet: Council of Ministers selected by the president with legislative approval; the Supreme Leader has some control over appointments to the more sensitive ministries


elections: leader of the Islamic Revolution appointed for life by the Assembly of Experts; president elected by popular vote for a four-year term; election last held 17 June 2005 with a two-candidate runoff on 24 June 2005 (next to be held NA 2009)


election results: Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD elected president; percent of vote - Mahmud AHMADI-NEJAD 62%, Ali Akbar Hashemi RAFSANJANI 36%; note - 2% of ballots spoiled
chief of state: King GYANENDRA Bir Bikram Shah (succeeded to the throne 4 June 2001 following the death of his nephew, King DIPENDRA Bir Bikram Shah)


head of government: Prime Minister Lokendra Bahadur CHAND (since 11 October 2002)


cabinet: Cabinet appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the prime minister


elections: none; the monarch is hereditary; following legislative elections, the leader of the majority party or leader of a majority coalition is usually appointed prime minister by the monarch


note: King BIRENDRA Bir Bikram Shah Dev died in a bloody shooting at the royal palace on 1 June 2001 that also claimed the lives of most of the royal family; King BIRENDRA's son, Crown Price DIPENDRA, is believed to have been responsible for the shootings before fatally wounding himself; immediately following the shootings and while still clinging to life, DIPENDRA was crowned king; he died three days later and was succeeded by his uncle
Exports 2.5 million bbl/day (2004 est.) $757 million f.o.b., but does not include unrecorded border trade with India (FY00/01 est.)
Exports - commodities petroleum 80%, chemical and petrochemical products, fruits and nuts, carpets carpets, clothing, leather goods, jute goods, grain
Exports - partners Japan 18.4%, China 9.7%, Italy 6%, South Africa 5.8%, South Korea 5.4%, Taiwan 4.6%, Turkey 4.4%, Netherlands 4% (2004) India 48%, US 26%, Germany 11% (FY00/01)
Fiscal year 21 March - 20 March 16 July - 15 July
Flag description three equal horizontal bands of green (top), white, and red; the national emblem (a stylized representation of the word Allah in the shape of a tulip, a symbol of martyrdom) in red is centered in the white band; ALLAH AKBAR (God is Great) in white Arabic script is repeated 11 times along the bottom edge of the green band and 11 times along the top edge of the red band red with a blue border around the unique shape of two overlapping right triangles; the smaller, upper triangle bears a white stylized moon and the larger, lower triangle bears a white 12-pointed sun
GDP - purchasing power parity - $35.6 billion (2001 est.)
GDP - composition by sector agriculture: 11.2%


industry: 40.9%


services: 48.7% (2004 est.)
agriculture: 41%


industry: 22%


services: 37% (2000 est.)
GDP - per capita purchasing power parity - $7,700 (2004 est.) purchasing power parity - $1,400 (2001 est.)
GDP - real growth rate 6.3% (2004 est.) 2.6% (2001 est.)
Geographic coordinates 32 00 N, 53 00 E 28 00 N, 84 00 E
Geography - note strategic location on the Persian Gulf and Strait of Hormuz, which are vital maritime pathways for crude oil transport landlocked; strategic location between China and India; contains eight of world's 10 highest peaks, including Mount Everest - the world's tallest - on the border with China
Heliports 13 (2004 est.) -
Highways total: 167,157 km


paved: 94,109 km (including 890 km of expressways)


unpaved: 73,048 km (1998)
total: 13,223 km


paved: 4,073 km


unpaved: 9,150 km (April 1999)
Household income or consumption by percentage share lowest 10%: NA


highest 10%: NA
lowest 10%: 3%


highest 10%: 30% (1995-96)
Illicit drugs despite substantial interdiction efforts, Iran remains a key transshipment point for Southwest Asian heroin to Europe; domestic narcotics consumption remains a persistent problem and according to official Iranian statistics there are at least two million drug users in the country; lax anti-money-laundering regulations illicit producer of cannabis for the domestic and international drug markets; transit point for opiates from Southeast Asia to the West
Imports NA $1.6 billion f.o.b. (FY00/01 est.)
Imports - commodities industrial raw materials and intermediate goods, capital goods, foodstuffs and other consumer goods, technical services, military supplies gold, machinery and equipment, petroleum products, fertilizer
Imports - partners Germany 12.8%, France 8.3%, Italy 7.7%, China 7.2%, UAE 7.2%, South Korea 6.1%, Russia 5.4% (2004) India 39%, Singapore 10%, China/Hong Kong 9%, (FY00/01)
Independence 1 April 1979 (Islamic Republic of Iran proclaimed) 1768 (unified by Prithvi Narayan Shah)
Industrial production growth rate 3.5% excluding oil (2004 est.) 8.7% (FY99/00)
Industries petroleum, petrochemicals, textiles, cement and other construction materials, food processing (particularly sugar refining and vegetable oil production), metal fabrication, armaments tourism, carpet, textile; small rice, jute, sugar, and oilseed mills; cigarette; cement and brick production
Infant mortality rate total: 41.58 deaths/1,000 live births


male: 41.75 deaths/1,000 live births


female: 41.41 deaths/1,000 live births (2005 est.)
72.36 deaths/1,000 live births (2002 est.)
Inflation rate (consumer prices) 15.5% (2004 est.) 2.1%
International organization participation CP, ECO, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICCt (signatory), ICRM, IDA, IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, IHO, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM, ISO, ITU, MIGA, NAM, OIC, OPCW, OPEC, PCA, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNHCR, UNIDO, UNMEE, UPU, WCL, WCO, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO AsDB, CCC, CP, ESCAP, FAO, G-77, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Interpol, IOC, IOM (observer), ISO (correspondent), ITU, MONUC, NAM, OPCW, SAARC, UN, UNAMSIL, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNFICYP, UNIDO, UNIFIL, UNMEE, UNMIBH, UNMIK, UNMOP, UNMOT, UNTAET, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WToO, WTrO (observer)
Internet Service Providers (ISPs) - 6 (2000)
Irrigated land 75,620 sq km (1998 est.) 11,350 sq km (1998 est.)
Judicial branch Supreme Court - above a special clerical court, a revolutionary court, and a special administrative court Supreme Court or Sarbochha Adalat (chief justice is appointed by the monarch on recommendation of the Constitutional Council; the other judges are appointed by the monarch on the recommendation of the Judicial Council)
Labor force 23 million


note: shortage of skilled labor (2004 est.)
10 million


note: severe lack of skilled labor (1996 est.)
Labor force - by occupation agriculture 30%, industry 25%, services 45% (2001 est.) agriculture 81%, services 16%, industry 3%
Land boundaries total: 5,440 km


border countries: Afghanistan 936 km, Armenia 35 km, Azerbaijan-proper 432 km, Azerbaijan-Naxcivan exclave 179 km, Iraq 1,458 km, Pakistan 909 km, Turkey 499 km, Turkmenistan 992 km
total: 2,926 km


border countries: China 1,236 km, India 1,690 km
Land use arable land: 8.72%


permanent crops: 1.39%


other: 89.89% (2001)
arable land: 20.27%


permanent crops: 0.49%


other: 79.24% (1998 est.)
Languages Persian and Persian dialects 58%, Turkic and Turkic dialects 26%, Kurdish 9%, Luri 2%, Balochi 1%, Arabic 1%, Turkish 1%, other 2% Nepali (official; spoken by 90% of the population), about a dozen other languages and about 30 major dialects; note - many in government and business also speak English (1995)
Legal system the Constitution codifies Islamic principles of government based on Hindu legal concepts and English common law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction
Legislative branch unicameral Islamic Consultative Assembly or Majles-e-Shura-ye-Eslami (290 seats, note - changed from 270 seats with the 18 February 2000 election; members elected by popular vote to serve four-year terms)


elections: last held 20 February 2004 with a runoff held 7 May 2004 (next to be held February 2008)


election results: percent of vote - NA%; seats by party - conservatives/Islamists 190, reformers 50, independents 43, religious minorities 5, and 2 seats unaccounted for
note: Nepal's Parliament was dissolved on 22 May 2002 and elections are scheduled for 13 November 2002

bicameral Parliament consists of the National Council (60 seats; 35 appointed by the House of Representatives, 10 by the king, and 15 elected by an electoral college; one-third of the members elected every two years to serve six-year terms) and the House of Representatives (205 seats; members elected by popular vote to serve five-year terms)


elections: House of Representatives - last held 3 and 17 May 1999 (next to be held 13 November 2002)


election results: House of Representatives - percent of vote by party - NC 37.3%, CPN/UML 31.6%, NDP 10.4%, NSP 3.2%, Rastriya Jana Morcha 1.4%, Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal 0.8%, NWPP 0.5%, others 14.8%; seats by party - NC 113, CPN/UML 69, NDP 11, NSP 5, Rastriya Jana Morcha 5, Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal 1, NWPP 1
Life expectancy at birth total population: 69.96 years


male: 68.58 years


female: 71.4 years (2005 est.)
total population: 58.61 years


male: 59.01 years


female: 58.2 years (2002 est.)
Literacy definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 79.4%


male: 85.6%


female: 73% (2003 est.)
definition: age 15 and over can read and write


total population: 27.5%


male: 40.9%


female: 14% (1995 est.)
Location Middle East, bordering the Gulf of Oman, the Persian Gulf, and the Caspian Sea, between Iraq and Pakistan Southern Asia, between China and India
Map references Middle East Asia
Maritime claims territorial sea: 12 nm


contiguous zone: 24 nm


exclusive economic zone: bilateral agreements or median lines in the Persian Gulf


continental shelf: natural prolongation
none (landlocked)
Merchant marine total: 144 ships (1,000 GRT or over) 4,715,242 GRT/8,240,069 DWT


by type: bulk carrier 38, cargo 49, chemical tanker 4, container 14, liquefied gas 1, passenger 1, passenger/cargo 5, petroleum tanker 30, roll on/roll off 2


foreign-owned: 1 (UAE 1)


registered in other countries: 8 (2005)
-
Military branches Islamic Republic of Iran Regular Forces (Artesh): Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force (includes Air Defense)


Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (Sepah-e Pasdaran-e Enqelab-e Eslami, IRGC): Ground Forces, Navy, Air Force, Qods Force (special operations), and Basij Force (Popular Mobilization Army)


Law Enforcement Forces: (2004)
Royal Nepalese Army (includes Royal Nepalese Army Air Service), Nepalese Police Force
Military expenditures - dollar figure $4.3 billion (2003 est.) $51.5 million (FY01)
Military expenditures - percent of GDP 3.3% (2003 est.) 1% (FY01)
Military manpower - availability - males age 15-49: 6,484,343 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - fit for military service - males age 15-49: 3,369,454 (2002 est.)
Military manpower - military age - 17 years of age (2002 est.)
Military manpower - reaching military age annually - males: 292,589 (2002 est.)
National holiday Republic Day, 1 April (1979)


note: additional holidays celebrated widely in Iran include Revolution Day, 11 February (1979); Noruz (New Year's Day), 21 March; Constitutional Monarchy Day, 5 August (1925)
Birthday of King GYANENDRA, 7 July (1946)
Nationality noun: Iranian(s)


adjective: Iranian
noun: Nepalese (singular and plural)


adjective: Nepalese
Natural hazards periodic droughts, floods; dust storms, sandstorms; earthquakes severe thunderstorms, flooding, landslides, drought, and famine depending on the timing, intensity, and duration of the summer monsoons
Natural resources petroleum, natural gas, coal, chromium, copper, iron ore, lead, manganese, zinc, sulfur quartz, water, timber, hydropower, scenic beauty, small deposits of lignite, copper, cobalt, iron ore
Net migration rate -2.64 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2005 est.) 0 migrant(s)/1,000 population (2002 est.)
Pipelines condensate/gas 212 km; gas 16,998 km; liquid petroleum gas 570 km; oil 8,256 km; refined products 7,808 km (2004) -
Political parties and leaders formal political parties are a relatively new phenomenon in Iran and most conservatives still prefer to work through political pressure groups rather than parties; a loose pro-reform coalition called the 2nd Khordad front, which includes political parties as well as less formal pressure groups and organizations, achieved considerable success at elections to the sixth Majles in early 2000; groups in the coalition include: Islamic Iran Participation Front (IIPF); Executives of Construction Party (Kargozaran); Solidarity Party; Islamic Labor Party; Mardom Salari; Mojahedin of the Islamic Revolution Organization (MIRO); and Militant Clerics Society (Ruhaniyun); the coalition participated in the seventh Majles elections in early 2004; a new apparently conservative group, the Builders of Islamic Iran, took a leading position in the new Majles after winning a majority of the seats in February 2004 Communist Party of Nepal/United Marxist-Leninist or CPN/UML [Madhav Kumar NEPAL, general secretary]; National Democratic Party or NDP (also called Rastriya Prajantra Party or RPP) [Surya Bahadur THAPA, chairman]; National People's Front (Rastriya Jana Morcha) [Chitra Bahadur, chairman]; Nepal Sadbhavana (Goodwill) Party or NSP [Bhadri Prasad MANDAL, acting party president]; Nepal Workers and Peasants Party or NWPP [Narayan Man BIJUKCHHE, party chair]; Nepali Congress or NC [Girija Prasad KOIRALA, party president, Sushil KOIRALA, general secretary]; Samyukta Janmorcha Nepal [Lila Mani POKHAREL, general secretary]
Political pressure groups and leaders political pressure groups conduct most of Iran's political activities; groups that generally support the Islamic Republic include Ansar-e Hizballah, Muslim Students Following the Line of the Imam, Tehran Militant Clergy Association (Ruhaniyat), Islamic Coalition Party (Motalefeh), and Islamic Engineers Society; active pro-reform student groups include the Organization for Strengthening Unity; opposition groups include Freedom Movement of Iran, the National Front, Marz-e Por Gohar, and various ethnic and Monarchist organizations; armed political groups that have been almost completely repressed by the government include Mujahidin-e Khalq Organization (MEK), People's Fedayeen, Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan, and Komala Maoist guerrilla-based insurgency; numerous small, left-leaning student groups in the capital; several small, radical Nepalese antimonarchist groups
Population 68,017,860 (July 2005 est.) 25,873,917 (July 2002 est.)
Population below poverty line 40% (2002 est.) 42% (FY95/96 est. )
Population growth rate 0.86% (2005 est.) 2.29% (2002 est.)
Ports and harbors Assaluyeh, Bushehr none
Radio broadcast stations AM 72, FM 5, shortwave 5 (1998) AM 6, FM 5, shortwave 1 (January 2000)
Radios - 840,000 (1997)
Railways total: 7,203 km


broad gauge: 94 km 1.676-m gauge


standard gauge: 7,109 km 1.435-m gauge (189 km electrified) (2004)
total: 59 km


narrow gauge: 59 km 0.762-m gauge


note: all in Kosi close to Indian border (2001)
Religions Shi'a Muslim 89%, Sunni Muslim 9%, Zoroastrian, Jewish, Christian, and Baha'i 2% Hinduism 86.2%, Buddhism 7.8%, Islam 3.8%, other 2.2%


note: only official Hindu state in the world (1995)
Sex ratio at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.06 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.04 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female


total population: 1.04 male(s)/female (2005 est.)
at birth: 1.05 male(s)/female


under 15 years: 1.07 male(s)/female


15-64 years: 1.05 male(s)/female


65 years and over: 0.97 male(s)/female


total population: 1.05 male(s)/female (2002 est.)
Suffrage 15 years of age; universal 18 years of age; universal
Telephone system general assessment: inadequate but currently being modernized and expanded with the goal of not only improving the efficiency and increasing the volume of the urban service but also bringing telephone service to several thousand villages, not presently connected


domestic: as a result of heavy investing in the telephone system since 1994, the number of long-distance channels in the microwave radio relay trunk has grown substantially; many villages have been brought into the net; the number of main lines in the urban systems has approximately doubled; and thousands of mobile cellular subscribers are being served; moreover, the technical level of the system has been raised by the installation of thousands of digital switches


international: country code - 98; HF radio and microwave radio relay to Turkey, Azerbaijan, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Turkmenistan, Syria, Kuwait, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan; submarine fiber-optic cable to UAE with access to Fiber-Optic Link Around the Globe (FLAG); Trans-Asia-Europe (TAE) fiber-optic line runs from Azerbaijan through the northern portion of Iran to Turkmenistan with expansion to Georgia and Azerbaijan; satellite earth stations - 9 Intelsat and 4 Inmarsat
general assessment: poor telephone and telegraph service; fair radiotelephone communication service and mobile cellular telephone network


domestic: NA


international: radiotelephone communications; microwave landline to India; satellite earth station - 1 Intelsat (Indian Ocean)
Telephones - main lines in use 14,571,100 (2003) 236,816 (January 2000)
Telephones - mobile cellular 3,376,500 (2003) NA
Television broadcast stations 28 (plus 450 low-power repeaters) (1997) 1 (plus 9 repeaters) (1998)
Terrain rugged, mountainous rim; high, central basin with deserts, mountains; small, discontinuous plains along both coasts Terai or flat river plain of the Ganges in south, central hill region, rugged Himalayas in north
Total fertility rate 1.82 children born/woman (2005 est.) 4.48 children born/woman (2002 est.)
Unemployment rate 11.2% (2004 est.) 47% (2001 est.)
Waterways 850 km (on Karun River and Lake Urmia) (2004) none
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